This book provides the reader with a clear overview of the considerable body of research and development work carried out in the last five years on microstructured polymer optical fibres (mPOFs). It discusses new applications which will be opened up by this emerging technology and includes for the first time details about the fabrication process for these fibres. The book provides an excellent introduction to this new technology.

Polymer Optical Fibres: Fibre Types, Materials, Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications explores polymer optical fibers, specifically their materials, fabrication, characterization, measurement techniques, and applications. Optical effects, including light propagation, degrading effects of attenuation, scattering, and dispersion, are explained. Other important parameters like mechanical strength, operating temperatures, and processability are also described. Polymer optical fibers (POF) have a number of advantages over glass fibers, such as low cost, flexibility, low weight, electromagnetic immunity, good bandwidth, simple installation, and mechanical stability. - Provides systematic and comprehensive coverage of materials, fabrication, properties, measurement techniques, and applications of POF - Focuses on industry needs in communication, illumination and sensors, the automotive industry, and medical and biotechnology - Features input from leading experts in POF technology, with experience spanning optoelectronics, polymer, and textiles - Explains optical effects, including light propagation, degrading effects of attenuation, scattering, and dispersion

This book provides the reader with a clear overview of the considerable body of research and development work carried out in the last five years on microstructured polymer optical fibres (mPOFs). It discusses new applications which will be opened up by this emerging technology and includes for the first time details about the fabrication process for these fibres. The book provides an excellent introduction to this new technology.

This research- and application-oriented book covers main topical areas of optical fibers. The selection of the chapters is weighted on technological and application-specific topics, very much a reflection of where research is heading to and what researchers are looking for. Chapters are arranged in a user-friendly format essentially self-contained and with extensive cross-references. They are organized in the following sections: - Optical Fiber Communication | Editors: Ming-Jun Li and Chao Lu - Solitons and Nonlinear Waves in Optical Fibers | Editor: Boris A. Malomed - Optical Fiber Fabrication | Editor: Hairul Azhar Bin Abdul Rashid - Active Optical Fibers | Editor: Kyunghwan Oh - Special Optical Fibers | Editors: Perry Shum and Zhilin Xu - Optical Fiber Measurement | Editor: Jianzhong Zhang - Optical Fiber Devices | Editors: John Canning and Tuan Guo - Optical Fiber Device Measurement | Editor: Yanhua Luo - Distributed Optical Fiber Sensing | Editor: Yosuke Mizuno - Optical Fiber Sensors for Industrial Applications | Editor: Tong Sun OBE - Polymer Optical Fiber Sensing | Editor: Ginu Rajan - Photonic Crystal Fiber Sensing | Editor: D. N. Wang - Optical Fiber Microfluidic Sensors | Editor: Yuan Gong

Polymer optical fibers (POFs) have been regarded as a viable alternative to silica fibers in a variety of sensing applications. Fiber optic sensors offer key advantages over other sensing technologies, which include immunity to electromagnetic interference, compact, lightweight, multiplexing capability, and higher sensitivity. This book gives an overview of the polymer optical fiber Bragg grating (POFBG) technology over the last 20 years, covering aspects related to the fiber Bragg grating fabrication and also sensing applications. The book is split into five chapters, and it is written in such a way that can provide a comprehensive and simple route to new users, scientists and engineers working or wishing to work in the field of POFBGs: Describes the systems commonly employed for producing fiber Braggs gratings (FBGs) in silica fibers that can be used for the production of POFBGs; Explores different laser sources for the inscription of POFBGs; Explores the capability of using this technology at the visible and infrared region, in different fiber types (e.g., step-index, microstructured, unclad, highly birefringent) and in fibers composed of different polymer materials such as PMMA, doped PMMA, PS and ZEONEX; Reports the fabrication of different types of POF gratings, such as uniform, phase-shifted, tilted, chirped, and long-period gratings; Shows the opportunities of POFBGs for a variety of sensing applications. The insight to the use of POFBGs provides a vision for the opportunities of this fiber optic technology.

Combining the positive characteristics of microfluidics and optics, microstructured optical fibres (MOFs) have revolutionized the field of optoelectronics. Tailored guiding, diffractive structures and photonic band-gap effects are used to produce fibres with highly specialised, complex structures, facilitating the development of novel kinds of optical fibre sensors and actuators.Part One outlines the key materials and fabrication techniques used for microstructured optical fibres. Microfluidics and heat flows, MOF-based metamaterials, novel and liquid crystal infiltrated photonic crystal fibre (PCF) designs, MOFs filled with carbon nanotubes and melting of functional inorganic glasses inside PCFs are all reviewed. Part Two then goes on to investigate sensing and optofluidic applications, with the use of MOFs in structural sensing, sensing units and mechanical sensing explored in detail. PCF's for switching applications are then discussed before the book concludes by reviewing MOFs for specific nucleic acid detection and resonant bio- and chemical sensing. - Provides users with the necessary knowledge to successfully design and implement microstructured optical fibres for a broad range of uses - Outlines techniques for developing both traditional and novel types of optical fibre - Highlights the adaptability of microstructured optical fibres achieved via the use of optofluidics, sensors and actuators, by presenting a diverse selection of applications

Plastic Optical Fiber Sensors cover the fundamentals and applications of a new class of fiber sensors. With contributions from leading academics in the area, this book covers the theory of plastic optical fiber sensors or (POFs), as well as applications in oil, gas, biotechnology, and energy fields. Using multiple examples, the editors showcase the advantageous characteristics of POFs, such as ease of handling, large diameter, inexpensive peripheral components and simple termination tools. By doing so, the editors assert that there has been a proliferation of the use of POFs in new consumer products. The book also highlights uses for building various products, such as a POF sensor for oil trucker valve monitoring, a monitoring system for high voltage substation switch, an oil leaking sensor for offshore platforms and a solar tracker for illumination. Including over 300 black and white images, this book would be highly beneficial for professionals in manufacturing as well as academics in universities, particularly those who use optical fiber sensors on a regular basis.